Published 2:57 pm, Tuesday, August 30, 2011

A Midland man remains in jail Tuesday night after allegedly attacking employees at a Sonic restaurant with nunchucks.

Leo Brito, 21, is being held on a second-degree felony charge of aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and several misdemeanors for his alleged actions Saturday night.

Midland police were dispatched to the Sonic drive-in in the 2000 block of North Big Spring Street Saturday around 10:30 p.m. in reference to a disturbance with weapons. When officers arrived, they witnessed a man restraining another man, later identified as Brito, according to the affidavit of probable cause.

Once the man saw police arrive, they said he let go of Brito. Brito was detained as police conducted an investigation.

After interviewing employees at the Sonic, they said Brito had vandalized an employee's vehicle, causing significant damage to the victim's windshield and passenger window. The witnesses then said Brito left the scene.

Some time later, Brito returned to the Sonic and began threatening employees. One witness said Brito attempted to assault a female employee with a "pair of nunchucks," but another employee became involved in the altercation and attempted to disarm Brito. The male employee was assaulted multiple time, the arrest report stated.

Another male employee said he tackled Brito and held him until officers arrived.

Brito was then arrested for felony aggravated assault with a deadly weapon and misdemeanor charges of criminal mischief and for unlawfully carrying a dangerous weapon. He is being held on a $23,000 bond. If convicted of the second-degree felony, he could serve up to 20 years in prison.